According to a U.S. Department of Justice Press Release, Vance Boelter, 57, disguised himself as a police officer in the early morning hours of June 14 and knocked on the door of Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman’s home. Boelter had even equipped his SUV with realistic flashing police-style lights.
After opening the door, the Hoffmans noticed Boelter was wearing a facemask. They quickly attempted to close the door, but Boelter opened fire, shooting Senator Hoffman and his wife multiple times. Fortunately, the Hoffmans survived.
Boelter then visited the homes of two other Minnesota elected officials, but he failed to make contact with them or their families.
Lastly, Boelter drove to Representative Melissa Hortman’s home. Mr. Hortman opened the door, and Boelter repeatedly shot him. Then he rushed into the house where he shot Representative Hortman several times. Both Hortmans died from their wounds.
Boelter was apprehended two days later on the evening of June 15, after the largest manhunt in Minnesota history. “According to the charges, the defendant had a list of possible targets and went to the homes of public officials to conduct violent attacks,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Joe Thompson said, “These were targeted political assassinations the likes of which have never been seen in Minnesota.” Read more details from the U. S. Department of Justice press release.
Such a horrific story begs the question: What drove Boelter to disregard human life and commit such cold, calculated crimes?
Boelter’s Background
An article from The Atlantic describes Boelter “as a married father of five who worked in the food industry for decades, managed a gas station in St. Paul and a 7-Eleven in Minneapolis, and recently began working for funeral-service companies as he struggled financially. At the same time, Boelter had an active, even grandiose, spiritual life long before he allegedly carried out what authorities describe as a ‘political assassination’ and texted his family afterward, ‘Dad went to war last night.’”
So, what grandiose beliefs did Boelter hold that might have motivated him? A look at his alma mater, a Bible college in Dallas called Christ for the Nations Institute, may provide some clues. Boelter graduated from the school in 1990 with a degree in practical theology.
The Atlantic article calls “Christ for the Nations a prominent training institute for charismatic Christians.” It explains how the school’s co-founder, James Gordon Lindsay, was a disciple of the New Order of the Latter Rain. The movement taught “that an outpouring of the Holy Spirit was under way, raising up new apostles and prophets and a global End Times army to battle Satanic forces and establish God’s kingdom on Earth.” The same “concepts lived on at Christ for the Nations, which has become a hub for the modern incarnation of the movement, known as the New Apostolic Reformation,” reports the article.
Continuing, the article explains, “During his time at the school, Boelter would have been exposed to the beliefs that motivate these movement leaders. He would have been taught to see the world as a great spiritual battleground between God and Satan, and to consider himself a kind of spiritual warrior. He would have been told that actual demonic forces can take hold of culture, political leaders, and entire territories, and thwart God’s kingdom.”
Is Violence God’s Way?
At this point, it’s hard to say precisely what ideas Boelter embraced from Christ for the Nations Institute. However, one article reports, “Close associates of Boelter, as well as speeches he made at Christian gatherings while living in Africa two years ago, portray a man whose worldview was fundamentally shaped by his religious beliefs. He was deeply opposed to abortion, and railed against churches that don't share that view.” The article also states how anti-abortion extremists feel compelled to “do something to stop [abortion]—not just to oppose it, but to eliminate it.”
Did Boelter believe that he was doing his part to fight demonic forces and establish God’s kingdom on earth by murdering lawmakers who supported abortion? That appears to be the case. After all, he did send that group text to family members, saying, “Dad went to war last night.”
Additionally, authorities discovered that “he’d kept a notebook that mentioned about 70 potential targets, including politicians, civic leaders, and Planned Parenthood centers,” says The Atlantic.
Boelter disregarded God’s sixth commandment, which forbids murder (Exodus 20:13), when he violently attacked those with whom he disagreed. That’s not how God calls us to fight our battles. Scripture says, “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal” (2 Corinthians 10:4). The Christian fights with prayer (Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18), the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12), preaching the gospel, and exemplifying its principles in our lives (Mark 16:15; Matthew 24:14)—not with violence.
God Will Establish His Kingdom
The Bible is clear that Christians are to engage in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:12) and that there will be a final showdown between the forces of good and evil (Revelation 6:14, 16). And yes, demonic forces do manipulate culture and political leaders (1 Kings 22:19–23; Matthew 2:16; Revelation 12:4). Satan is even called “the ruler of this world” (John 14:30).
But is it the job of Christians to physically “establish God’s kingdom on earth”? Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight” (John 18:36). He also rebuked His disciples when they wanted to defend Him with violence (Luke 9:54–56; Matthew 26:51, 52).
Christ is the one who will set up His kingdom, and it will not happen until this earth is destroyed by God and made new. “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. … Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:10–13).
Click here to read Pastor Doug Batchelor’s article “Age of Rage.”